Even Heroes' Need Saving
by Aethelgythe
Summary: A civilian woman risks everything to save the life of Spartan-117 and is faced with a choice that will forever change Master Chief's destiny. This is a revised/re-written story of the original I posted 3 years ago. First Halo story. One-shot and Completed. Please read and review!


Author's Note: It's been nearly 3 years since I first posted this story and since my writing has improved since that time I thought I would go ahead and re-write this. Thanks for your continued support and for adding me to alerts and favorites!

Disclaimer: I do not own Halo. They belong 343 Industries! I don't claim ownership of Halo or the original content and characters therein.

 **EVEN HEROES NEED SAVING**

A lone female figure crawled out from the ash and plasma scorched rubble of what used to be her home. She coughed as smoke and burning embers drifted past her face on an unseen wind. This young woman had a despairing thought that she might be the last survivor in what had once been the thriving and shining capital of her city.

The alien armada known as the Covenant had attacked her people and rained death down upon them from the heavens. She had heard stories of how these aliens glassed whole planets after conquering them. The military fighting force that comprised both the UNSC as well as the troops native to the region that had been stationed in this section of the city, were probably either dying or already dead. She honestly didn't know. Groups of Covenant were currently roaming through the streets mercilessly and maliciously, slaughtering innocent people-the last of the survivors on her world.

She heard the screams of a dying man a few blocks away accompanied by the gruff, angry sounding roar of what she had learned a few days ago was from an Elite warrior.

Her street was in the middle of an alley that connected to the central plaza in this quadrant. She heard the sounds of battle emanating up ahead. She had an important choice to make. She could, either stay here and wait for the prowling Covenant forces to come finish her off, or get up and try to foolishly fight her way out. The young woman opted for the second alternative.

Her parents along with her brother had all been killed days earlier when the alien forces went underground and destroyed all of the bomb shelters and safe-houses. Her fiancé had been a local trooper and was shot through the chest by multiple pink spikes, one of which had pierced his heart. The spikes darted out faster than the eye could see- issued forth from an alien weapon known as a needler. Fortunately she had no children of her own, so was spared any further horror and grief as the greatest calamity her world had ever known razed every standing dwelling and snuffed every life within a thousand miles of where she now stood.

She pressed her back flat against a still standing support pillar of her neighbor's housing complex and stiffened, holding her breath as the pounding feet and loud alien chatter of a Covenant patrol ran past her hiding place. They most likely rushed down the sloping alley to join the growing fray in the central plaza. The girl needed to find a weapon and she hated to admit it but the plaza probably had plenty to choose from now that the death toll of what was left of the fighting forces on both fronts was rapidly rising.

The young woman ran down the steep slope darting behind different chunks of rubble from collapsed buildings and trashed vehicles that many of which, were still ablaze. She nearly tripped over the body of a dead marine who lay sprawled out, his body bent at an awkward angle. Dark, red blood pooled beneath the slain hero…the sight made her gag. After searching around him for his fallen battle rifle, she came to a sickening revelation. His gun was missing.

 _Just her luck._

She crept closer towards what was left of the battlefield and heard the screeching of the alien marauders but soon heard a different voice…

There was one human left, still fighting!

She knew she had to help him. Maybe together they could fight their way out of the city and try to find an aircraft to get them the hell out of there.

She peeked around her cover and witnessed a breathtaking spectacle.

There was a lone Spartan, encased in dark green armor, battling a hoard of Covenant. He made short work of the grunts but he soon engaged in a deadly fight with a Brute Captain. She watched in awe as the Spartan dodged the enemy's incoming fire and released a hail of bullets from both of the assault rifles that he expertly dual-wielded.

The smile of admiration on her face disappeared entirely and her brown eyes widened in horror. A scream got lodged in her throat when the sight of another opponent walked out into the plaza. She needed to warn the Spartan, to tell him he had to turn around! All she could do was stand there paralyzed with fear and dread. She continued to gape at the carnage as the fearless Spartan slaughtered every enemy that dared to oppose him. He was doing a marvelous job. He was defeating all of the Covenant troops…

…all but one.

Her savior was crouched down on one knee, ducking behind cover as a plasma grenade exploded a few yards away from him. He reloaded his guns, completely unaware of the danger that lurked just behind him.

Time stood still.

Without thinking or realizing what she was doing, her legs carried her out into the war zone. She ran, feeling as if the world around her was moving in slow motion. The smell of hot plasma stung her nose and the zinging sound of laser blasts as they whizzed passed her head and body filled her ears. Soon the only thing she could hear was the pounding of her own heart.

The Spartan's pursuing foe advanced ever closer to him, as did she. When the Spartan stood and turned around, it was already too late…

The Elite lunged with his energy sword, taking the Spartan by complete surprise. The Spartan had no time to react. By the time he raised his weapon or twisted around to dodge the lunge, he would already be impaled. So he stood his ground courageously and defiantly stared death in the face.

That was when the most unexpected thing happened…

The young woman finally screamed and took strength from such a battle cry. She saw the Elite lunge for the Spartan in slow motion. The energy sword was pointed straight at the Spartan's midsection. Still screaming her war-cry, she shoved the Spartan aside.

It was no easy feat with armor as heavy as his. Maybe it was the adrenaline. It has been said that humans can do impossible things, like lift cars up off of a trapped person in the heat of the moment. She got to experience such an impossible feat for the first and what would be, the last time.

She felt she had nothing left to lose and knew that there would be no avoiding this fate as she took her hero's place. She looked up bravely and met her destiny…

The sword made sickening contact as it slid seamlessly into her body.

She couldn't scream…she couldn't breathe. It all happened so fast, as time seemed to resume to normal speed. She felt the hot, energy sword sliding out of her chest and felt herself falling slowly to the rubble-strewn ground to land upon the unforgiving surface of the ruined plaza. As she slowly fell into shock she heard a vengeful, human sounding scream rip its way out of the Spartan's throat. She saw out of her peripheral vision, the Spartan rising back to his feet like an angel of death. Her vision began to blur but she was able to faintly see and hear the last of the battle. A small twinge of satisfaction rippled down her spine and brought a small smile to her face when she watched as the Elite was impaled…with his own sword.

Justice had been served and she knew she could die in peace knowing that she had been avenged. She shuddered and blinked back tears and before she knew what was happening, she was being gently cradled in the arms of the Spartan.

His voice was calm and collected…almost soothing in a way. She could faintly hear traces of what could be considered sorrow and regret. She would know…her own brother Daniel had been very good at hiding his true feelings from others.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," He spoke softly.

She smiled weakly and coughed up small traces of blood as the cauterized wounds inflicted from the energy sword finally began to bleed. She felt her body turning cold.

"Better me than you…" her weak voice nearly shook.

He titled his helmet to the side in careful consideration.

"How do you figure that?"

"Everyone needs you. You're important."

He carefully shifted his hold on her and chuckled humorlessly.

"That's only a matter of perspective."

Sudden recognition sparked within her eyes when she realized just who it was that she was talking to. He gently swept strands of her matted hair from the side of her face as he continued to cradle her.

"What's your name?"

The question took her off guard. She was dying…and the Spartan… _ **the**_ Master Chief cared to know _her_ name? She grew up hearing stories about him. He was a legend. Over the course of time she began to see him as her hero and used to dream about meeting him. She smiled ruefully as the gravity of her actions and the recognition of her hero weighed heavily down upon her.

"…my name…is Kendra."

She was wheezing for air now but struggled to hang on, long enough to speak her mind.

"You…are…a hero," her body shuddered again.

It almost felt like the Spartan had gently tightened his hold on her, as if willing her spirit to remain in these final moments with him.

"Even some heroes' need saving," he shook his head ruefully.

Kendra suddenly felt afraid as she felt the last of her life slipping away into the black void that was death. She didn't want to admit or voice her fear but couldn't stop the traitorous words from slipping past her parched lips.

"…I'm so scared…,"Her words came out as a half-choke and a half-whisper.

She shakily grabbed and held on to one of his large, war-hardened hands and was relieved when he didn't protest the action or try to jerk away. He did something then that she did not expect…

Master Chief used his free hand and gently ran an armor-gloved thumb across her cheek and tenderly wiped away her tears. His actions proved so many people wrong.

…This Spartan really did have a heart… or in the very least, a conscience.

When he softly spoke, his words helped to soothe some of her fear.

"It's okay. I'm not leaving, Kendra. I'm going to stay right here with you," his voice was strong and filled with honest conviction.

She soon stopped breathing altogether and could only stare up at him wordlessly. He looked down on her, his expression lost behind his helmet. When he spoke next it was filled with…awe? No, that couldn't be right…she had to have imagined that.

"Thank you, Kendra…for saving my life. _You_ were the real hero today."

She closed her eyes for the last time with a small smile as tears squeezed out of the corners of her eyes, never knowing just how deeply moved Master Chief was by her heroic sacrifice.

It wasn't every day that a civilian woman saved his life.

Master Chief walked through the ruins of the city as he cradled her in his arms and made it to the next quadrant, perfectly confident knowing that he had wiped out the last of the Covenant forces in this area. He left her body in the care of some marine soldiers and reloaded his rifle.

He solemnly swore that her sacrifice would not be in vain.

Master Chief began to run through the burning cityscape and made it about ten blocks before he found his next objective.

 _You will never be forgotten Kendra…this next fight, is for you._

With narrowed eyes and a sardonic grin, he got their attention as he raised his assault rifle and prepared to pull the trigger.

"Alright Covenant…let's dance."

 **THE END**

 _Author's Note: I feel that even though Master Chief is hard-core and totally awesome in every way, I believe he is still human and quite capable of emotion despite his Spartan training and conditioning. Come on now…if you've played the Halo games you_ _ **must**_ _know that he and Cortana share emotion quite often, lol. So John does have a heart, even if he doesn't always like to show it. Thanks for reading! Feel free to review._


End file.
